1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to boots for horses and, in particular, to a buckle-free horse boot.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Horse boots represent one of many types of protective gear for horses. In particular, boots are used to protect the hooves and fetlocks of horses and are sometimes employed in lieu of horseshoes.
A typical horse boot consists of a sole and an upper integral with or secured to the sole. The upper wraps around the back and the side portions of the boot and, in most cases, it defines an opening for a tongue at the front of the boot. The two sides of the upper are connected over the tongue by laces, a buckle, or other means used to secure the boot on the hoof of the horse. The boot is put on the horse by spreading the upper and the tongue, sliding the hoof of the horse into the boot, and tightening the upper around the hoof. The tongue facilitates the spreading of the upper and thus the process of inserting the hoof in the boot.
Many different kinds of horse boots have been developed over the years in search for a perfect boot that is easy to put on, comfortable to wear, provides the intended protection to the horse's hoof and pastern, and stays on even during the hardest gallop. In fact, all prior-art boots have been deficient in at least some of these objectives because the structural features used to achieve some have been counterproductive with respect to the others.
For instance, ease of installation of the boot on the hoof requires a relatively large tongue opening and flexibility in the upper, features that are inconsistent with the tight fit required to avoid slippage during use. A loose boot also tends to rub against the hoof and pastern and allows debris into the boot, thereby producing irritation or even injury to the horse. After some use, a loose boot is also more likely to come off. Thus, in order to counter these drawbacks, people have endeavored to improve the methods used to secure the boot on the hoof. See, for example, the straps, cables, buckles and lacing systems described in International Publication No. WO 2004/047526, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,661,958, and in U.S. Ser. No. 10/948,584 (abandoned), Ser. Nos. 10/755,984, 10/910,977 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,174,858), and Ser. No. 10/755,945 (abandoned).
The effect of these improved securing means has simply been to provide a tighter fit over the hoof of the horse. As a result, the boot is less likely to come off, but it also forms a rigid enclosure that prevents some of the hoof's physiological functions. It is well known that the hoof of a horse expands when it meets the ground and it contracts when it is raised off the ground. This repeated expansion and contraction of the hoof has the physiological effect of supplementing blood circulation in the hoof and the lower leg of the horse (see T. G. Teskey, “The unfettered foot: a paradigm change for equine podiatry,” published at www.easycareinc.com/TheUnfetteredFoot.pdf). The rigid enclosure formed by conventionally tightened boots prevents this natural function, it creates discomfort to the horse and it can even cause deformation of the hoof and related injuries during prolonged riding. Furthermore, the tight fit of prior-art boots is still not sufficient to prevent accumulation of dirt and debris inside the boot. So long as an opening forms during use between the upper of the boot and the hoof, dirt and other material will continue to penetrate and irritate the horse.
This latter problem has been addressed in the prior art by extending the height of the upper of the boot over the hoof's hairline, the pastern, or even the fetlock of the horse, but these solutions have necessarily also caused increased rubbing and related irritation. Thus, co-owned Ser. Nos. 10/948,584 and 10/755,945 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,174,858 introduced the concept of a soft and flexible gaiter or cuff extending from the heel portion of the upper to wrap around the pastern above the front hairline of the horse. This solution has helped shield the boot from debris and protect the hairline from excessive rubbing, thereby providing a significant advance in wearability and comfort. However, it is still not ideal with respect to the process of installing the boot on the hoof of the horse because the gaiter's structure tends to obstruct the introduction of the hoof into the shell of the boot. Therefore, a need still exists for the ideal horse boot that is easily installed on the hoof, prevents accumulation of debris, does not irritate the horse, stays in place even during hard use, and permits the physiologically natural blood-circulation function of the hoof.